Warning after chimney blaze

Fire broke out in the chimney of a property on Springfield Road, Wickersley, after the occupants lit their fire shortly before 9pm last night and soot within the chimney stack burst into flames.

Fire crews were called in and tackled the blaze from the fireplace within the house before an aerial appliance arrived, allowing them to douse the blaze from above.

They successfully extinguished the fire and were able to leave the scene after an hour.

A service spokesman warned people to take extra care when lighting their coal or wood-burning fires.

He said: “We would always advise people to have their chimneys checked regularly.

“It is particularly important to have them swept after a summer period where they might not have been lit for a period of time.”